Coming Home
by wiets
Summary: The improved version... I hope... of Earning Money. Making a foolish decision Sakura ends up on the black market, not as a buyer but as merchandise. She's bought by someone she never thought to see let alone meet ever again. Then there is the problem of paying back...
1. auction

**Coming Home.**

_Like I said on my profile, here the new and I hope improved first peek into Earning Money, now called Coming Home._

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Rough hands pushed her forward. She stumbled on the stairs and hit her toe hard on one of the steps. Light seeped in through a small chink in the curtain before her. With the feeling of impending doom she took the last step and stopped before the curtain. It was red and velvet, of course, another fabric wouldn't do in a place like this.

"And finally! I have the honor to show you the last item!" The curtains opened exposing her to a room full with people.

Sakura squinted her eyes and stumbled forward when someone pushed her back again. She was getting a bit pissed at being pushed every time. But for now fear was the emotion she felt the most. The silence was complete when she stepped onto the stage. Her feet touching the cold polished wood, moving slowly forward until she stood in the middle of the stage.

"Well gentleman, what do you think of this woman? Isn't she a beauty? Look at her long legs, long and strong. Her hair is as soft as a feather." Sakura closed her eyes while the man continued to praise her features. "And of course she's a virgin." Humiliated her cheeks heated. If she could die right here and now she would be most grateful. That statement met with a loud cheer and the bidding started for serious. Numbers flew through the room like it was nothing. Gradually they robbed her further from the little bit of freedom she had. Soon someone would own her. That thought alone was enough to lose herself in fear.

_I'm not afraid. I'm not afraid. Hell no! I am NOT afraid! _She repeated inside her head over and over like a mantra. She would not succumb to this auction. She would not.

"Three million two hundred and thirty-seven thousand eight hundred and ninety-seven." The voice hadn't shouted like the others, but spoken conversational, yet the effect was that of a bomb dropped in the middle. Slowly Sakura opened her eyes. The room was dead silent, leave for her heartbeat for she was sure everybody could hear it. The lamps overhead did not only heat the stage to unbearable temperatures, but blinded her too. A perverse part of her was curious as to who would pay such an amount of money for her. She didn't regard herself as ugly but that was an awful lot of money.

"Three million two hundred and thirty-seven thousand eight hundred and ninety-seven," the auctioneer said slowly, tasting the number on the tip of his tongue. Licking his lips, he looked at the director hidden beside the stage. Sakura saw the man nodding frantically from the corner of her eyes. "Anyone three thirty?" The room remained silent. If it was possible her heart sunk lower in desperation. The moment was there. She'd tried to prepare herself for it for the last two weeks, knowing that the moment would eventually come.

"SOLD!" the man shouted. Sakura's shoulders slacked, the world started to spin around her. Rough hands pulled at her and she stumbled off the stage. Cold hit her when she left the heat of the lamps. Her body shivered slightly, the thin see-through dress wasn't sufficient to keep the cold out, but her mind was occupied with other thoughts. Well just one thought, sold, she was sold, for a ridiculous high amount of money. It was absurd. Three weeks ago she would never have believed such a business existed, so naïve she was.

The hand on her back led her down the stairs and into the small passage. The passage slopes down slightly, the rooms being underground. Bare light bulbs hung from the low ceiling, casting obscure shadows that moved with them around her. The passage was flanked with thick wooded doors, each with a big handle and a big lock. No sound came from them. Finally she reached the door with number 20.

"Get inside and change." The man pushed her inside and locked the door behind her. The room was bare save for a bed, a bucked behind a thin ragged curtain serving as a privy and a chair. No sunlight and no fresh air.

Without much to do, and hating the stupid see-through dress, she walked to the bed, pulling the dress over her head and letting it fall on the ground. Her hands shook slightly when she reached out to take her pants from the bed. Seizing her wrist with her other hand she commanded to stop shaking. Of course it wouldn't. Flopping down on bed she started at nothing, holding her wrist on her lap. She didn't feel the cold anymore, nor any fear of anger. There was an absolute stillness inside her. It wasn't a stillness of acceptance or ignoring her current situation. Her stillness was born from the necessary to stop thinking and worrying, born from the need to recharge. Panic, fear, confusing, anger and a lot more emotions had been eating inside her since she came here and now her mind was full. The shaking that had started in her hand had traveled over her whole body and was starting to fade away. Reluctant to leave her behind it gave a few last sharp jerks.

Immensely tired the pants slipped through her fingers from one of her hands as the other released the hold on her wrist. She fell on her back on the matrass and closed her eyes. All her strength seem to have evaporated, even lifting a finger was to tiresome. Everything around her was silent, not a sound from the other rooms came and no one walked through the passage, yet she knew there were people, could feel the presence of them around, lingering in corridors, hiding under the blankets. Some were probably asleep, others like her had given into desperation. A few were sold today like her and some were still waiting for their turn some days later.

A wail broke the silence, must be one of the new girls, it sounded female. She had yet to learn that being invisible was better than drawing to much attention. Sakura closed her eyes and listened, yes there is was. The soft thumbs of footsteps on the stone floor of the passage, the soft creak of a door opening. The wail grew louder for a second when the door didn't block the sound. Then it was all silent.

Sakura shivered, rolled on her side and made a laborious attempt to reach her pants on the floor. She, and every other person down here, knew what happened inside that room and she shivered again. Leaving the pants her hand went involuntary to her thigh and the bruise there, faded to yellow but still sensitive. Slowly she sat up, reached for her shirt and pulled it over her head. She had no idea how much time had passed since she re-entered her room, but her buyer would come for her soon after he dealt with the pay.

It still amazed her that someone was willing to pay that ridiculous amount of money for her. But then….

Someone had actually bought her, **bought!** How could such a thing exist in this day and time? She belonged to someone now, belong to in another way that she once though and hoped for. There was no blood bond between her and her owner, nor was there anything like love you find between lovers. Nope she belonged to that person simply because he bought her, and so he had to right to do with her as he pleased. And that was the scariest part. She had pushed every thought that came close to that away, not being able to even think about it. She'd heard the stories of girls who were sold to sadists, forced to work in places to dirty and harsh to live through. Most of those girls died within months, loss of hope, continual beating and bad food would even get the strongest person in time.

She was sold…

The soft sound of footsteps echoed through the passage. They didn't come from a room a few doors past hers, but from the direction of the stairs. Fearing it may be her buyer she grabbed her pants from the floor and shot into it. Her heart beat like crazy. She just zipped and sat down when the soft sang of iron chinked against iron. She knew the sound by heart and, if possible, her heart beat faster. Voices drifted through the tick door, to low-pitched that she couldn't make out the words. She was unaware that she was holding her breath until it exploded out her when the footsteps stopped by her door. Looking around franticly for a place to hide, realizing the foolishness of it she sat down on the bed, realizing her mistake. It was too late to stand up though. The room had only one light bulb on the ceiling but her door was in a dark part of the passage and she could make out her visitors perfectly. At first she could only see the director, which was odd since he never came down here, the man behind him was taller than him, but that was all she could make out of him. The light of the bulb couldn't reach that far into the passage; it even left the corners of her room in shadows.

"Come on woman, I don't have all day," the director spoke impatiently. Sakura sniffed softly, if he didn't like it down here than he shouldn't come her. His distaste of here was clear on his face and by the fact that he whipped his hands constantly with his handkerchief. It was a foul little man anyway, half a head shorter than her and a deep hatred against woman, which was probably why there were more woman than men being sold here. "Not so slow! Your owner is waiting for you." Sakura stood up fast and walked towards the door. "You're sure you don't want to try her out here first sir?" Fear struck her, a feeling so used to she didn't even falter in her steps. Her 'owner' through, ignored the question and turned away towards the stairs.

She couldn't tell how grateful she was that he never made any move into that direction, but walked steadily back to the stairs. He climbed up without waiting for her, or even looking if she followed, though the director would made sure she did. Taking pains to stay as far as she could out of his reach she walked hastily after her 'owner'.

He looked young from behind, older than her but not so old as most of the buyers. His steps were brisk and from what she could see in the shadows indicated that he wasn't fat but lean. The director wasn't. Wheezing close behind her indicated he had trouble walking the steps as fast as they did. Sakura allowed a small smile of satisfaction. The distance between her and the director grew with every step. The man before reached the end of the steps, it was another one than the one she climbed earlier that day, the one leading to the stage. This one appeared to lead to a small room with only one door across, the door was closed. By the strip of light coming from under it indicated that it lead outside.

* * *

**TBC **

_I hope you all enjoyed this piece and are wanting for more :D There is much, much more._

_Positive feedback is always welcome, be it about mistakes I make or just telling how you like it. I do know I need a beta, I'm looking for one. Are you free or do you know someone who is willing to take it up than I like to hear from you. Just leave a message and I'll reply as soon as I can, usually within a day._


	2. You can't own me!

I'm really, really sorry it too so long for me to update. So much happened in a short time that I lost track of it all. And to make matters worse, I lost all my notes and scribbles I made over time. So I had to start all over.

As always I do not own Naruto (really, would a study to become a nurse if I did?) But this little plot is mine.

I can't say when my next upload will be, I make it as fast as I can. On a side note; I beta myself at the moment and English isn't my native language, excuses for any mistake. I'm off to find myself a beta reader as soon as I can.

* * *

**You can't owe me!**

The room she stood in was no more than a slight broadening of the hall, leading to one black door at the end. There was nothing in the room that gave it a personal touch. No furniture to sit on or a place to hang the coat and no pictures decorating the bare cold stone walls. It was as unidentified a room as it could be, leading to a world hidden under ground. The single light bulb clad the room in more shadows that it would have when it wasn't burning, but it couldn't hide the strip of yellow light peeking from under the door.

Her heart beat a bit faster at the prospect of being outside after four weeks lock up underground where no sunlight could reach. She took a deep breath, tasting fresh air under that of old sweat, blood, dust and stale water that hung permanently inside the compound. Sakura picked up her steps in her eager to get to that door. It was that she couldn't pass the man before her or she would be standing by the door already. She was one step behind him when he suddenly stopped. Sakura bumped hard against his back, stumbled and fell butt first and swearing heavily on the ground.

The man loomed above her. After a few blinks she realized he wasn't even looking at her, probably hadn't noticed she bumped against his back. Curious she peeked around her legs to see what made him stop so suddenly. The door she'd seen before was still there but was now hidden behind two broad black men. It was clear they had no intention of moving aside to let them pass. Fear crept up inside Sakura's stomach. What now?

Slowly she stood up and dusted off her clothes, hiding her fear while doing so and fighting to find her composure. One of the things she learned here, never show them any weakness they can exploit. And any weakness _can and will_ be exploit here. When she thought to have her control back and her face in an emotionless expression, she straightened and looked around.

They stood roughly in the middle of the hall-room like behind them was the stairs down, she would rather die than take those again, and before them was a blocked door. Soft wheezing sounds grew louder and louder and were coming from the stairs. She and the man both turned at once when the director finally conquered the stairs, wheezing loud like a leopard running the marathon. His head was bright red, his eyes were bulging out and a big nasty grin spread on his lips when he saw them standing.

"Now, now, you weren't planning on leaving so soon, are you?" He directed his words to the man behind her; to him she was nothing but dust. It suited her fine, if he hadn't had her life and freedom in his hands. Long suppressed anger flared up, hot, white and all consuming. It clouded her mind for a second, but long enough to miss the first spoken words from the man behind her. Although she hadn't heard _what_ he said, she did hear his voice. Her blood froze in her veins. That voice was familiar and not one she expected to ever hear again. Especially not here! Slowly she turned her head and looked up at where his face should be. Hidden in the shadows she couldn't see more than a rough outline and black hair falling over his shoulders. She shook her head and looked away. Her head must be playing games; maybe the fear finally took to her. The director was laughing loudly about something the man had said.

"You see you're both quite a catch to let loose," He said whipping the tears from his eyes. "See that woman before you. She's a famous medic ninja from Konoha, presumably trained by the Hokage herself. She's even mentioned in that bingo book you ninja use. And you…" The director laughed again. With every word the director said Sakura's hope sunk lower and lower. Wasn't she just sold? Shouldn't she be allowed to leave this place? Even if it was under the dubious title 'slave' she was allowed to go outside now, right? She shook her head, fighting against the panic. She didn't want to go back down there. Back to that Hell. Wasn't she 'freed' off that nightmare? She hardly noticed she was shaking on her legs until a hand landed softly on her shoulder and shook her gently.

"Calm down," The strangely familiar voice whispered in her ear. "We'll get out of here, I promise." She didn't turn, didn't look at him and didn't completely calm down. But the trembling stopped and the panic subdued slightly. At least she could think a bit clearly.

"Uchiha Itachi. The infamous clan murderer. You can imagine my surprise when I realized who you are." Sakura made a shocking sound after hearing the man's name. She darted away from him, but before she could get beyond his reach he grabbed her arm and pulled her back.

"Let me go," she shouted in panic. Franticly she tried to pull her arm loose from his grip. "Let go!" It was too long that she subdued her panic and fear and it broke free in all earnest. Like a wild animal she clawed and mauled at him with her nails. Her fear grew to new heights when she realized it had no effect on him. Instead of releasing his grip he tightened his hand around her arm and pulled her even closer. Some strange far part of her brain commented that her nose fit almost precisely in the small hollow at the base of his neck. It was such a ridiculous thought that she uttered a short shrill laugh. She missed half what was said around her but frankly she couldn't care less. Her promised freedom she would get after being sold, a freedom in a live as a slave, had been shattered in pieces. For four weeks she'd been grinding her teeth, enduring all the humiliation and pain that was brought upon her by the men working here. She'd stand mostly naked before a room full of strangers and she was sold to the highest bidder. And for what…?

It had all been for nothing. For just a mere second she thought to be partly free, to see the sun again and to breathe fresh air. It was all slammed into the ground. Her legs gave out; slowly she fell on her knees and sat there. Beaten again. But this time they may succeed in breaking her. This time they would succeed.

One hot tear escaped her eyes and rolled down her cheek. It was too cruel. Her body begun to shake and she rocked back and forth, hugging herself tightly. All the fear, the panic, confusion, anger and dread that she'd been holding inside broke out in one loud high pitched scream. She screamed until her throat felt raw and she couldn't make any sound anymore. Still she didn't stop. The raw sound that she forced out of her throat hurt her, but she couldn't stop. With her fists she slammed onto the ground, again and again until they were raw, red and bleeding. She'd been holding out for so long, focusing on the small light at the end of a very long tunnel. She was so close, just a few steps and she would have been outside again and a few more and she would have broken free of the person who bought her. She'd planned it all out. Her way home.

Her body shook uncontrollably and by a force outside of her. Fearing that they may brag her back down she slapped weakly at the person who shook her and crawled away as far as she could. The dark shadow came after her. In blind panic she tried to stand up but fell down again. A part of her brain registered the pain in her ankle and the sharp stinging pain on her knee. Then the shadow was looming above her.

"Please…" she uttered desperate before the world ended in darkness.

* * *

She woke with a start from a nightmare. Heavily breathing she sat up; rubbing her face after she realized it had been a nightmare, but what a realistic one it had been. Sunlight peeked from under the curtains, white curtains that moved in a soft breeze. Sighing she fell back in the pillows and closed her eyes. Slowly she took stock of herself, something she often did after a nightmare, just to assure everything was alright. This time not everything was alright. Her knee throbbed, her ankle felt hot and her hands… Opening one eye she lifted her left hand up and examined it. Where had she wounded it? And who had bandaged it, why on earth sake would someone do that if she could heal herself just as easy? She closed her eye and reached out for her chakra…

_It wasn't there!_

Frowning she reached again and again she grabbed miss. "What…?" Concerned she opened her eyes and sat up. Her chakra, where was it? Panic threated to rise but she pushed it down resolutely, that wouldn't help her find it. A knock on the door pulled her out of her concerning thoughts and the door opened shortly after.

"You're awake?" She heard the voice before she saw who it was. All blood drained from her face and her memories came crashing back down. _It hadn't been a nightmare!_ Uchiha Itachi entered the room, carrying a tray with steaming tea and some sandwiches and other stuff. She followed him unmoving with her eyes. He set the tray on the nightstand beside the bed and went to open the curtains.

"How do you feel?" He stayed well away from the bed and leaned against the windowsill. With arms crossed he looked her over. Sakura pulled the covers up to her chin and drew her knees up to her chest, suddenly aware of herself and the fact that they were alone in the room. Her eyes fell on her clothes on a chair by the small table. Keeping the blanket up with one hand she felt around under it with the other. She was wearing a shirt but it wasn't hers… had he undressed her and put that shirt on while she was passed out? She did pass out in that room, right? It made no difference how hard she thought; she simply couldn't remember it anymore. Everything after hearing his name was blank, up until now.

"How do I feel?" The situation was just too absurd. _"How do I feel?" _ She repeated again. Angry she grabbed the first thing she could and threw it at him. It hit him square in the stomach only it was a pillow and the damage was close to nothing. "How the hell do you think I feel?" She reached to grab another thing to throw, intending this time on something that would cause more damage, but Itachi beat her to it. With two big steps he stood beside the nightstand and lifted the tray just before she could reach for one of the things on it. "Give it back. I need to throw something at you!" She hissed. There was nothing at her disposal except for another pillow. Itachi was still holding the tray. He looked at her through slits and shook his head slowly.

"Don't…" He begun but Sakura already swung the pillow back and threw it with all her might. The pillow sailed through the air and covered the short distance within seconds, too fast for Itachi to react. It hit him in the stomach again. The cup and teapot clanged against each other and hot tea spilled over, landing nicely on his hands. Cursing profoundly he kicked the pillow away and walked to the table. After he set the tray on the table he turned around with blazing eyes. "That wasn't needed." He dried his burned hand on his shirt.

"You bought me," She whispered. She'd crawled at the back of the bed when Itachi cursed and sat with her back pressed against the wall, the blankets pulled up at her chin. Itachi had calmed down a bit. He leaned casually against the yellow painted wall with his arms crosses loosely before him. He didn't seem to ready himself to jump her, still she took no chances. While keeping the blankets up with one hand, the other begun herding the rest of the blankets on the bed closer around her.

"Yes I did." He raised one eyebrow and looked at her doing curiously; he kept his mouth shut though.

"You can't own me!" Sakura said angry after she was satisfied with how she was warped in blankets. She eyes the pillow wishfully, but there was no way she'll ask him for it. She'd rather die than ask him anything. Without a word Itachi bended and picked one of the pillows from the ground. The red of his lightly burned hand seemed extra bright by the white fabric. She refused to feel sorry for the pain she caused him, he probably deserved it too. She refused the offered pillow by simply ignoring it. With a small shrug he tossed the pillow on the bed beside her.

"I wasn't planning to, but you made things very complicated." He crossed his arms again, taking care that the first degree burning wound wouldn't touch any fabric. Cramp nagged in her left leg and her back hurt from the uncomfortable, forced position she'd taken. But stretching her legs would mean expose them to him, and that was something she did not want. Ignoring the fact that he'd already seen her half naked. Her hand hit against something metallic around her neck when she was re-fixing the blankets around her. Frowning she touched it more, it seemed to be some kind of metal band around her neck with a ring attached in front. It hung just above her collarbone, not too tight to trouble eating and drinking but tight enough that she couldn't move it around easily.

"What is this?" she asked with dread as she begun to realize herself what it had to be. She tried to move it around her neck. It could move around her neck but not much up and down. It had the thickness of three fingers and although the ring in front wasn't big, hiding it would be a pain.

"A collar," he said matter-of-factly. Sakura squint her eyes at him.

"I guessed that. Take it off!" she demanded him. Itachi moved not a single muscle.

"I can't." He said like it didn't bother him, and why should it. He hadn't to walk around with a thick collar _with_ a ring around his neck. She felt like a freaking dog!

"Take it off. I'm not a dog!" She was getting angry. How would she be able to run away with something like this around her neck? And what next, was he planning to put her on a leash? Oh he should try.

"I have noticed that." Her hair stood on ends. Furious she balled her fists under the blankets, intending to slam them into the bed, wall or his face, wherever was more satisfying. It was that she was warped tight in the blankets that she couldn't move her arms freely or she would have done so, his face preferring. "It's a mark of slavery." With those five words he drained her of her anger. "I couldn't prevent them from putting it around you." He didn't sound accusing at all but she took it that way.

"Are you blaming me?" She sat up right, shoving her legs under her and warping her arms around the blanket. Under so much blankets with almost no place for air to come in temperature rose quickly and she begun sweating all over. Careful not to expose any parts of her, with the exception of her head and arms, she took one end of the blanket and waved it up and down, letting cool air inside. "You have no idea…" She was stopped at the beginning of her rant by Itachi raising his hand. Wary of his ability with his eyes, he only had to point at someone to bring them under a genjutsu; she kept her mouth and ducked deeper in the covers.

"Did I say so?" Sakura shook her head vigorously. As a precaution she never let her eyes higher than his neck, though it was useless if he could do her by just pointing…. Still she had to do something. Never in her life she'd felt this vulnerable as in the last four weeks and it seemed that it would go one a little bit longer. "Do you have back-up?" The question startled her and her head shot up to his face. He hadn't activated the sharingan. Not that _that_ was a reassurance.

"Back-up?" she asked blankly. Then she realized why he asked her. "Ehum… no… I ehu… what I mean to say…" With a face blazing red she turned her head away in a sudden interest in the wall beside her bed. There was a small green spot on it, just on eye height in a strange oval shape.

"I see." Was all he said about it. Ashamed she dug deeper in the covers. Yeah it hadn't been a mission at all and no one would come to search for her here. Feeling miserable she did the last thing she would do otherwise. She began talking.

* * *

It was hot, blazing hot. The sun shone from right above her merciless and unhindered by clouds or vegetation. There was nowhere for her to take shelter. Slowly she dragged herself forwards, hoping to find refreshment soon. The land around her was barren, yellow grass grew in groups and rustled when she walked through it; a few trees grew askew and had no leaves or fruits. Small insects ran for safety when she planted her feet close to one such tree, a few ants even climbed her leg, biting her as they went. The bits were painful and she slapped them off her leg, cursing violently. She hated this place!

The landscape rolled on and on before her, one hill following the other in eternal waves of yellow grass and brown dry earth. Even standing on one of the hill wasn't high enough to see the end of this god forgotten land. She weighted her options, turns back and finds another way around this place and thus loosing days or even weeks' time or cross this place and hoping not to get lost to eventually ending by a port where she can book a ship home. She knew there was a small port village across this endless plain. It's on her map. But the map gave her no clue as to how big this plane was. The only thing it showed was a small skull somewhere what seemed to be the middle of the plain.

She turned around and looked back the way she came. A few hills back was the forest she left two hours ago, inviting her to come back under the lush green leaves that would shelter her from the sun. The forest was booming with life, whereas this plain looked death. Sighing she sat down on the ground, placing her hands on her knees and resting her head in it. She knew that sitting here wouldn't bring her any further, but for now she was fine with that. From her backpack she took a bottle with water and a warped sandwich. There wasn't much food in the bag, making her options less than an option. She had to take the detour through the forest. Actually she didn't mind, having not enough food was a good enough excuse to leave this place. The longer she sat here the more the ominous feeling she got grew. After finishing the sandwich she stood up, dusted her clothes, stored the bottle back in the bag and swung the bag on her back. Without a second glance at the over the plain she turned around and begun walking down the hill.

There was just one hill left to take. Her shirt was soaked and stuck on her skin. Slowly she climbed the last one, by now the sun had lowered and dark clouds were forming at the horizon behind her. Light flashed through the clouds and a low rumbling sound rolled over the plain. Sakura picked up her speed after one glance over her shoulder. The clouds were drifting in fast, sending a cold wind that cooled her down. Shivering she reached the top of the hill where she took a second too determined where to descent safely. A few rock lay shattered on the hillside, making the walk harder on this particular steep hill. The other side was less steep but ended in a dry riverbed. Dry for now but judging by the scent the wind brought her it wouldn't be dry for long.

In a hurry or not Sakura took a minute to dig her coat out her bag and put it on. The sweat had dried during the climb and her skin had cooled down rapidly by the cold wind. She shivered vigorously and maybe that was why she never saw it coming. The fatal decision she'd made. Deciding on the less steep side of the hill and taking chances with the riverbed, she walked down as fast as she could with the storm on her heels. The sky darkened around her until it seemed like night. Pulling her coat closer and fighting against the wind she finally reached the foot of the hill. There was a small patch of grass beside the riverbed, where a small stream of water had formed already, and she took that rather than jumping down into the riverbed.

She must have been walking less than five minutes when the first raindrops fell down. A flash, closer this time, illuminated the area in white light and was followed shortly by a loud thunder that shook the ground slightly. The wind gained more strength. Another flash lighted the area. Sakura stumbled blindly for a few blinks, almost falling into the stream that had grew bigger by the rain. The wind blew the stench of ozone in her face. Thunder followed the flash a bit later than the previous one, indicating the thunder getting closer towards her. She ducked deeper in her coat and walked a bit faster, fighting against the wind, hunger and fatigue. Before her lay the forest and she was looking for a place to cross the stream.

The rain fell down in all earnest, thumping on her head and drowning out all sounds around her with the only exception that of the thunder. Flashes followed each other faster. Sakura was too consumed in her struggle to move forward that she almost missed a person like shape on the other side of the riverbank. She stopped and blinked against the water in her eyes, but the person was gone. If there had been a person at all. With this weather it was dangerous to be outside and with that thought she picked up her speed. At last she spotted a thick branch lying over the water. It must have broken off a tree by the wind. It lay perfectly over the water, the smaller branches with leaves will make the cross more a challenge than she preferred right now, but beggars can't be choosers. Careful she placed one foot on the wet wood and grabbed some of the branched for support. The wood was slippery by the rain, but it was her only way across. Ever so slowly she shuffled over the branch. She was halfway when a loud cracking sound reached her ears over the rain. At first she thought it was the thunder, hit in one of the trees on the plain, but then she felt the branch under her feet shift.

Everything sped up. The branch snapped in two and plunged into the cold water under it. Losing her support and footing Sakura tumbled down into the water after the branch. The stream had swollen into a big wild swirling river that pulled her away immediately. Hungry and tired as she was she had not enough strength to fight the water. Every bit of strength she had she needed to keep her head up. Even that bit of strength was drained fast and Sakura found herself more under water than at the surface. Thumbing and swirling the river took her to destiny unknown. She'd lost all bearings of up and under and ceased the fight, letting the river take her as it pleased. She survived by drawing small breaths when her head would break through the water. During one of those short moment she could see a huge tornado heading in the direction of the forest, close the where she's been. The fall had saved her from the tornado but would be her end if she didn't manage to get out of the water fast. Summoning all strength she had she grabbed a low hanging branch. She hung on it for a few minutes letting the water beat on her tired body before she began pulling herself out of the river.

Soaked, coughing and shivering like crazy she climbed the last few meters onto land, thanking everything around her, before collapsing just under the tree line.

* * *

Somewhere during her story Itachi had poured two cups of tea, listening without asking any question. He handed her one of the cups and took the other one with him back to the wall across the room. Sakura gave him a small nod of thanks and took a small sip of the hot, dark liquid. In sheer bliss she closed her eyes, savoring the taste. It's been four weeks and even longer when she last drank tea. During her time in the compound all she got was stale water.

"When I woke up I was locked in a cell underground. The rest you know," she concluded her story feeling suddenly odd at telling him it all. He didn't know the rest only the last part, but with a little bit imagination he could imagine the rest. She drank her tea while avoided to look at him. What came over her to tell him all that, she wondered? It wasn't that he had any part of it, well he had actually, having bought her and such.

"I see," was all he said again. Sakura looked up startled at his voice. It hadn't sound flatly like before or cold or empty. There had been something in it, something she couldn't name. She followed him with her eyes when he walked back to the table and set his empty cup on the tray. "Eat some. We can't stay here long." His sleeve shoved up and revealed a silvery band around his wrist. The ring clanged softly against the teapot. Sakura looked at him with wide eyes.

"How come you wear one?" she asked softly, strangely shocked by the idea that he was also branded as a slave.

"Shortly after you got yours." Clearly it was all he wanted to say about it. He turned towards the door. Before opening the door he looked once more over his shoulder. "Eat and rest a bit. There are clean clothes in the bathroom. I hope you fit them. We'll leave in the afternoon." He opened the door and closed it softly behind him. Sakura waited and listened with her breath hold, but the sound she'd been waiting for didn't come. Slowly she unwrap the blankets around her. Placing one foot on the cold wooden floor she turned her head and listened again. No sound came from the other end of the door. Quickly she darted from the bed towards the door. With heart beating in her throat she laid her hand on the doorknob. She had to summon her courage to twist the knob and open the door. Wary of a shout, curse or lord knows what she stuck her head around the door and looked down the hall. Nobody.

Feeling oddly she closed the door again and saw the key on the inside. Had he simply forgotten? Her hands were shaking when she turned the key around, locking to door from the side. A small smile spread across her face, maybe not everything was lost yet. Maybe she had a change to get home. Her stomach rumbled loudly. With a slightly lighter step she walked towards the table and inspected the try. The teapot was half full and she refilled her cup. Through the window she could see the sun and the trees surrounding the inn. It was still early in the morning, the sun peeking just above the horizon. For the first time in four weeks Sakura could relax. Sure there were things she had to think about, but not now. The toast and eggs were cold but that didn't bother her. Spreading a thick layer of strawberry jam on her toast she at it slowly while sitting in the windowsill. The air was cool but not cold and she pushed the window further open, letting a nice breeze enter the room and listening at the morning concert the birds give.

Yeah she'll get home in time. There was just the small matter of her debt…

**TBC **


	3. Oblivion

Sorry it took me so long to post a new chapter, short as it is.

Work and school kept in my way of writing fully, though i do have written some scenes in still need to work it out further.

I don´t own Naruto only this little plot.

Read and review. (I love reviews like everyone else :D)

'

* * *

**Oblivion. **

Fever and pain rolled through her mind like a thunderstorm, forked lightning jagged through her body, each of them leaving a blinding pain behind that blossomed behind her eyes in bright white light. She was death; she had to be for she saw white light. But this wasn't heaven, surely she wouldn't feel this much pain in heaven, that would be a cruel joke. Air surged through her longs like wildfire, multiplying the pain.

She never knew if her eyes were open or closed, if she slept or was awake. All she saw was gray with streaks of blight scarlet penetrating her mind and leaving a trail of blinding pain, over and over again it washed over her. The redness pulsed in her veins and patched behind her eyes. She seized one of the red veins, following its redness towards the source of the thundering noise. The thunder grew louder and louder as she penetrated the gray murk, while holding on the scarlet vein and following its sullen glow. Like the beating of a kettledrum the thundering became regular until it was all, until her ears rung with it and she felt like a hollow skin vibrating with each crash of sound. The source of it was now before her, sounding so loudly that she had to make a sound only to hear something else. Her mouth was open and she could feel the muscle in her neck working but she heard nothing but the thundering, the pounding. She trusts her hands, if they were her hands, through the gray murk and seized the warm object emitting the thundering sound. As she drew it closer and looked down she knew it was her own heart throbbing and convulsing in her own hands.

Screaming she dropped in horror and looked as it crawled away, leaving a slimy trail of red behind, shuddering with effort and the valves all opening and closing like the mouth of a fish on dry land.

Faces sometimes appeared through the clouds. Some seemed familiar though she couldn't put any names on them. Others were faces of strangers, half-seen like faces in a dream long forgotten. Those faces looked at her with curiosity of indifference and would turn away then. The ones she knew bore looks of sympathy and would try to fix her gaze, she looked away, ashamed and feeling guilty. They tried to speak, their mouths moving as the formed words, she wouldn't hear them, their words drowned in the thundering sound.

* * *

Sakura felt odd, but for the first time in uncountable days, not ill. The fever had rolled back, still grumbling somewhere nearby, but for the moment gone from sight. Her eyes were clear and she could see the gray stone of the ceiling above her, adorned with only a single light bulb in what seemed the middle of it. She saw it with such clarity that for a moment she was struck with awe of the beauty of it. The simplicity of the gray vastness with small white pebbles shattered in a secret code, glinting when light hit it. She extended her hand, wanting to touch it and was surprised that she could. The cold stone felt firm yet soft under her fingers and she traced the glittering white like crumbs of bread for a bird, eager for the other white spot. It occur her that the ceiling was more than six feet high. She turned with no sense whatsoever of the effort, and saw that she lay upon the bed below. She lay on her back with the sheets rumpled and scattered, as if she tried to throw them of but lacked the strength to do so.

The air in the room was strangely still, the colors of the covers glowed through it like jewels under water, rich but muted. By contrast her face was like pearl, still and bloodless. She saw that it was that she was so thin that the bones shone through her skin, white, delicate yet strong. And such beautiful bones it were! Her eyes followed the arches of the ribs, awed by the heartbreaking beauty of the skull and followed the lines of her cheekbone with eyes and… finger. She was amazed by the feel of the cool, tightness of her skin for she had no sense of moving at all. She couldn't help but to marvel at the texture and depth of color of her hair that lay scattered and snarled on the pillow supporting her head.

Her eyes were open and looked directly at her, two orbs vivid green of wet serpentine and summer grass. They looked through her at something beyond her, far away to be seen by her now. And yet the saw her too, her pupils dilated by sight of me. _Yes I know you, _they seemed to say, while embracing her in a deep warmth acceptance and knowledge, _let us go. _

She felt a deep peace and joy at those words that were never spoken but sounded clear inside her. _Yes let us go. _She answered.

A slight sense of movement pulled at her attention and she looked towards it. A man stood by the door, his back at her and the light spilled around him like a bright yellow aura, glowing around him like a summer sun. She didn't know him but knew she loved him, loved him deeply. His body rocked in great grief. A smaller fair-haired woman stood beside him. She came closer to him and touched, murmuring something to him. She saw the way she looked at him, the tender intimacy in the ache of her body the inclination of her head. _No,_ she though _this won't do. _She looked back at herself once more and feels the air stir around her,_ no this won't do indeed! _She though with certain.

She slept for long period, only awaking to take some nourishment. The fever dreams were gone and sleep was a lake of deep darkness where she breathed oblivion of the living. She would float up sometimes, aware of living people and their things, but to detached to care. She floated around feeling free and alone in the deep darkness she needed so much right now. Faces and voices would sometimes penetrate her brain, asking or urging her to do something, but they were all meaningless word to her, bits of shells that were broken in pieces. Now and then some phrase would penetrate her sanctuary where it would hang in her head like jellyfish in the ocean. It stung when she came to close to it.

"_Death is swallowed up in victory." _

Sakura opened her eyes. It was no great shock as the room was clad in shadows with a small light creeping from under what seemed to be a door.

"_O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?" The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law." _A small girl, no more than ten years old, sat beside her bed, reciting what seemed to be a holy text.

"Who are you?" her voices sounded hoarse from long disuse. The girl looked up startled like a deer caught in light, two bright blue orbs looked at her _like the summer sky, _she though remotely.

"Sakura?" the voice sounded hesitant, she jumped up so fast the chair fell over, falling loudly on the ground.

"I don't know." She said. She closed her eyes, feeling a dreamlike sense of submergence treating to engulf her again. "Am I?"

She blinked a few times against the light peeping from under the curtains.

"Jun?" her throat hurt talking and she shut her mouth. Although she knew where she was, in an unknown inn, she felt herself still in that dark room where the light only came from a bare weak light bulb on the ceiling. She still felt the pain and terror she experience in those rooms, the fear of dying to fresh on her mind to even think of forgetting.

Jun, that small but oh so strong child had been her savior.

"You know Jun?" a voice drifted in from afar. She had to blink her eyes some more to get the picture sharp on her retina, only to see a disturbing picture.

It was an Uchiha that bowed over her bed, his brows knot together. A startled sound escaped her lips before she could clap her hands over it.

"Jun, you know her? A little girl…" he begun impatient.

Sakura's brain had fully awakened, though it was still clouded a bit with fever and sleep. "With deer like eyes…? Yeah I met her," she said before her mind cleared up completely. "What about her?" she couldn't hide her curiosity, nor did she want to. The fever lost its grip one her completely, rendering her with an absolute control over herself.

For the first time in a while she could think clearly and she didn't particularly like it. The facts came crashing down on her again.

Uchiha Itachi bought her… An Uchiha for crying out loud!

She was a slave.

Her chakra was gone… And that was the most disturbing thing of all, but she didn't felt comfortable to with Itachi talk about her absence chakra or about anything else. Who knew what he would do if he knew….

"Yeah… I knew her…" He said without giving her any detail. Sakura couldn't be bothered at the moment, sleep was to pressing. The fever had rendered her tired, she could stay alert short periods of time but that was all she had.

* * *

_Itachi eyed the window for his stalker. It's been two days since he saved the little girl from two monstrous boys harassing and beating her. Last night she even tagged him to his room. The fact that he slept on the third floor with a sea view hadn't seemed to disturb her at all. She'd climbed up like a monkey and curled up under his window like a loyal dog. That it was late autumn and she had no more than a lousy, thin and ragged blanked had spurred his decision on giving her the coverlet. _

_Now he watched as she tried to hide herself behind a dustbin that was two sizes too small for her. Her hands showed where she had to hold on to the bin and one leg stuck out like its growing limps. He had to suppress a smile at the ridiculous view it gave. He had to admit the little girl was promising in the way on ninja and very persistent, nobody else had climbed up to his balcony just to sleep close to him, and it was flattering in a strange way. He turned his gaze back inwards the store from he was using the window as a mirror. It appeared to be a clothing store, a children clothing store in fact. _

"_Uhm, can I help you," a woman, probably working in the store, stood in the doorway looking uncertain at him. Turning slowly he looked at the woman and then back at the store, weighing his options, and then he looked back at the lobster bin. _

"_A bath and a set of clean clothes. Also a spare of summer and two sets of winter clothes," he said to the stunted woman. _

"_A... a bath…?" she stuttered just as he turned to walk towards the dustbin._

"_A bath yes, she's dirty." Slowly he walked closer towards the dustbin, slowly as a hunter edging up to a deer. Her eyes were that of a deer, big, brown and round and looking at him without blinking, but unlike the eyes of a dear there was no fear in there, just a mild curiosity like she knew he wouldn't hurt her. Of course he wouldn't, if he wished her to be hurt he could have let her freeze last night. The girls knew instinctively she was save with him and stood up slowly when he was just two steps before her. _

_Later on he would say it was her smile that did him, a smile so pure it broke and healed his heart in the same moment, how that was even possible was beyond him, but she did. He'd taken her inside the shop, fought with her to get her in bath; the girl had never set foot in a bathtub and was scared to drowning, and dressed her in clean, comfortable clothes. Throughout all of it she made a lot of noise, but no words fell from her lips. _

"_You can understand me, right?" he asked when they left the shop and walked towards a place where they could eat. The whole ordeal of putting her in bath and in clean clothes had ridden them both from their energy and they needed some food and a bit of rest. The girl merely nodded in answer. "Can you talk?" a thoughtful look crossed her face, one of deep concentration, so deep she almost tripped over her own feet and she would have fallen over if he hadn't caught her. Finally she nodded again. _

"_Can talk," she said in a small high voice that of a little girl. _

_Relieved he led her inside a café where she took a seat close to the window. While he normally would have taken a spot in the shadows far behind with his back to the wall so no one could sneak up at him he took a seat opposite her and ordered food for two like it was normal business to sit by the window._

"_What's your name?" he asked._

"_It's impolite to ask another's name without giving your own." The girl replied._

_Itachi had to suppress a smile. She was right! Manners said you had to tell your name before asking the others._

"_I'm Itachi," he said after a short silence._

"_They call me Jin, but I don't like it, it's a boy's name. You may call me… Jun." Itachi nodded and said he would do so. _

_That same day they left the village _


End file.
